Update on Legislation That Would Increase Conference Restrictions

August 28, 2014

Legislation that would place further restrictions on federal participation in conferences has gained the opposition of key leaders in the Senate. As a result, it is increasingly unlikely that the measure will move through the Senate this year.

Federal policy changes in recent years have significantly limited the participation of federal employees in scientific conferences and meetings. Legislation passed by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, S. 1347, would further restrict the participation of federal scientists in conferences.

Last month, a number of scientific organizations, including AIBS, sent a letter to the Senate expressing concerns with the legislation.

Many scientific organizations in Washington, DC, continue to warn that arbitrary limits on the participation of federal scientists in scientific conferences and meetings is bad for science. Scientific conferences are one of the essential ways in which scientists share information, test ideas, and ultimately press forward the frontiers of science.